Chattanooga Football Club continues its California getaway with a visit to Albion San Diego on Sunday night.

The boys in blue are coming off their first league defeat of the season, where the Los Angeles Force took all three points with a stoppage time penalty on Wednesday night. 

Both clubs have plenty on the line as playoffs loom closer on the horizon.

How To Watch

The match will be available to stream via FIFA+ and YouTube. Check out all the options at ChattanoogaFC.com/WATCH.

Follow @chattanoogafc on X, Instagram, and Facebook for all updates leading up to the game.

The Season So Far

Last match’s defeat was only a scratch on what has been an incredible record for Chattanooga FC in the 2023 season. Having earned 41 points from 18 matches (W12 D5 L1), the boys in blue still sit well clear at the top of the NISA table after going over a year without suffering defeat in league play. 

It will be important for the club to get back to winning ways quickly, as securing first place will grant hosting rights for Chattanooga in the playoffs.

Chattanooga’s Mutaya Mwape has found the back of the net in the last two games and will hope to continue that in San Diego.

Goalkeeper Jean Antoine has by far the most clean sheets in the league with 11 in 18 matches. After conceding three goals in the last two matches, Chattanooga will look to tighten things up in defense.

Reactions to Defeat

After suffering defeat for the first time on Wednesday, the boys in blue are already looking forward to making things right.

Moldovan defender Anatolie Prepelita said the game was a shock that will motivate the team going forward. “Losing was like a slap to wake up a little bit and realize that easy teams can make the job hard for us… We have to be more focused, be more aggressive, and work hard on the field.”

Captain Richard Dixon knows that Chattanooga FC will have to perform at the highest level from now on to avoid defeat again. “It’s a wake-up moment for us, but it’s also motivation to see that everyone is coming after us, so we have to be on our A-game.”

Scouting San Diego

Albion San Diego currently sit in fourth in the NISA table, only two points behind the second placed LA Force. It’s been a season of ups and downs for the club, starting down as Chattanooga FC beat them 5-0 for their 2023 home opener. Chattanooga also bested Albion at Fort Finley in May by a score of 2-0.

Despite the hammering in the opening match, Albion has played solid football through the season. Don’t expect another high scoring affair. San Diego likes to keep things tight, rarely participating in shootouts. In fact, Albion’s last two matches at home ended as 0-0 draws.

If Jean Antoine is the Haitian Sensation, then Ben Roach is the Californian Foreman as he leads the Albion San Diego defense. Roach has amassed 8 clean sheets, second most in the league. His performances have earned many points for Sunday’s hosts, and he’ll hope to shut out Chattanooga for the first time this season. 

A win for San Diego would return them to second place, which earns a crucial first round playoff bye.

Next Home Game

The boys in blue continue to hit the road in league play, returning to Fort Finley on Sunday, October 1st against Gold Star FC Detroit in the regular season finale.

About Chattanooga Football Club
Chattanooga Football Club was founded in 2009. The CFC Men's team competes in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), which is in the third division of professional soccer. The CFC Women's team is a summer amateur team that competes in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL). Chattanooga Football Club became the first soccer club to offer true ownership to the fans in 2019 with 3,200+ investors from Chattanooga, all 50 states, and 31 countries. CFC plays all home games in Finley Stadium in Chattanooga.